Turbine blade cover cooling apparatus and method of fabrication

Abstract

A blade cover cooling apparatus comprises a blade cover top plate, comprising a plurality of upper ribs, a blade cover bottom plate, comprising a plurality of lower ribs. The blade cover top plate is disposed over the blade cover bottom plate. The upper ribs are disposed at a first angle and the lower ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to the blade circumferential reference line, respectively to form a plurality of flow redirection areas. The blade cover bottom plate is disposed to pass a coolant from the turbine blade to the blade cover top plate. A fabrication method aligns the blade cover top plate and the blade cover bottom plate to form the plurality of flow redirection areas.

1. A blade cover cooling apparatus disposed in a blade cover of a turbine blade comprising:
 a blade cover top plate comprising a plurality of upper ribs;  
 a blade cover bottom plate comprising a plurality of lower ribs; and  
 a plurality of flow redirection areas;  
 said blade cover top plate disposed over said blade cover bottom plate;  
 wherein said upper ribs are disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade circumferential reference line and said lower ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to said blade circumferential reference line so as to form said flow redirection areas;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate is disposed to so as to pass a coolant from said turbine blade to said blade cover top plate.  
 
   
   
     2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said blade cover has at least one cooling ejection. 
   
   
     3. The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein said at least one cooling ejection is selected from the group consisting of blade cover leading edge cooling ejections, blade cover trailing edge cooling ejections, blade cover pressure side cooling ejections, blade cover suction side cooling ejections, and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said first angle is not equal to said second angle. 
   
   
     5. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising, a blade cover leading edge plate, a blade cover trailing edge plate, a blade cover suction side plate, and a blade cover pressure side plate;
 wherein said blade cover leading edge plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 wherein said blade cover trailing edge plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 wherein said blade cover suction side plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate;  
 wherein said blade cover pressure side plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate;  
 wherein said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, said blade cover trailing edge plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate are disposed in an investment casting.  
 
   
   
     6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises an airfoil section and a blade root;
 wherein said airfoil section comprises an upper airfoil surface, a lower airfoil surface and a plurality of channels;  
 wherein said channels are disposed from about said upper airfoil surface to about said lower airfoil surface;  
 wherein said lower airfoil surface is disposed on said blade root;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate is disposed on said upper airfoil surface.  
 
   
   
     7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises a blade cooling section;
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed between said blade cover and a blade root;  
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge;  
 wherein said blade cooling apparatus is disposed so as to pass said coolant ( 180 ) to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     8. The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein said blade cooling apparatus further comprises a target area;
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate is disposed over at least one edge of said target area;  
 wherein said target area is configured to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     9. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said turbine blade comprises at least one dividing rib and a blade cooling section;
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about said blade cover to about a blade root;  
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge;  
 wherein said dividing rib is disposed from about said blade cover to about said blade root;  
 wherein said dividing rib divides said blade cooling apparatus into a leading edge cooling section and a trailing edge cooling section;  
 wherein said leading edge cooling section and said trailing edge cooling section are configured so as to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     10. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said turbine blade comprises a pressure side double wall and a suction side double wall;
 wherein said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall are disposed between said blade cover and a blade root;  
 wherein said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall are disposed so as to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     11. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises an airfoil section and a blade root;
 wherein said airfoil section comprises an upper airfoil surface, a lower airfoil surface, and a plurality of dividers;  
 wherein said dividers are disposed from about said upper airfoil surface to about said lower airfoil surface so as to direct said coolant in said airfoil section;  
 wherein said dividers are disposed from about a turbine blade trailing edge to about a turbine blade leading edge.  
 wherein said lower airfoil surface is disposed on said blade root;  
 wherein every other said divider is disposed to connect to said blade cover bottom plate and is further disposed to be spaced apart from said blade root;  
 wherein said blade cover is disposed on said upper airfoil surface so as to pass said coolant from said airfoil section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     12. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus is divided into a blade cover suction edge section and a blade cover pressure edge section;
 wherein said blade cover suction edge section has a first rib spacing and said blade cover pressure edge section has a second rib spacing,  
 wherein said first rib spacing and said second rib spacing are configured to control said coolant in said blade cover suction edge section and said blade cover pressure edge section, respectively.  
 
   
   
     13. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising a plurality of surface concavities;
 wherein at least a portion of at least one of said upper ribs, said lower ribs, said blade cover top plate, and said blade cover bottom plate that faces said coolant has said plurality of surface concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     14. A blade cover cooling apparatus disposed in a blade cover for cooling a turbine blade comprising:
 a blade cover top plate comprising a plurality of top cover plate channels; and  
 a blade cover bottom plate comprising a plurality of blade cover bottom plate channels;  
 said blade cover top plate disposed over said blade cover bottom plate so as to form said blade cover;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate channels are disposed so as to intersect said blade cover top plate channels;  
 wherein said blade cover is configured to pass a coolant from said blade cover bottom plate to said blade cover top plate.  
 
   
   
     15. The apparatus of  claim 14 , further comprising a plurality of surface concavities;
 wherein at least a portion of at least one of said blade cover top plate channels, said blade cover bottom plate channels, said blade cover top plate, and said blade cover bottom plate that faces said coolant has said plurality of surface concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     16. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of blade cover top plate channels is produced by processes selected from the group consisting of Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM), and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     17. The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein said plurality of blade cover bottom plate channels is produced by processes selected from the group consisting of Electro-Chemical Machining (ECM), Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM), and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     18. A blade cover cooling apparatus disposed in a blade cover for cooling a turbine blade comprising:
 a blade cover top plate comprising a plurality of upper ribs;  
 a blade cover bottom plate comprising a plurality of lower ribs;  
 a blade cover leading edge plate;  
 a blade cover trailing edge plate;  
 a plurality of flow redirection areas;  
 a blade cover suction side plate; and  
 a blade cover pressure side plate;  
 said blade cover top plate disposed over said blade cover bottom plate;  
 wherein said upper ribs are disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade circumferential reference line and said lower ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to said blade circumferential reference line so as to form said flow redirection areas;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate is disposed to so as to pass a coolant from said turbine blade to said blade cover top plate;  
 wherein said blade cover comprises at least one cooling ejection;  
 wherein said blade cover leading edge plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 wherein said blade cover trailing edge plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 wherein said blade cover suction side plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate;  
 wherein said blade cover pressure side plate is disposed to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate;  
 wherein said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover trailing edge plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate are disposed in an investment casting.  
 
   
   
     19. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said at least one cooling ejection is selected from the group consisting of blade cover leading edge cooling ejections, blade cover trailing edge cooling ejections, blade cover pressure side cooling ejections, blade cover suction side cooling ejections and combinations thereof. 
   
   
     20. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said first angle is not equal to said second angle. 
   
   
     21. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises an airfoil section and a blade root;
 wherein said airfoil section comprises an upper airfoil surface, a lower airfoil surface and a plurality of channels;  
 wherein said channels are disposed from about upper airfoil surface to about said lower airfoil surface;  
 wherein said lower airfoil surface is disposed on said blade root;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate is disposed on said upper airfoil surface so as to pass said coolant from said airfoil section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     22. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises a blade cooling section;
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about said blade cover to about a blade root;  
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge;  
 wherein said blade cooling apparatus is disposed so as to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     23. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein said blade cooling apparatus further comprises a target area;
 wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus is disposed over at least one edge of said target area;  
 wherein said target area is configured to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     24. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said turbine blade comprises at least one dividing rib and a blade cooling section;
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about said blade cover to about a blade root;  
 wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge;  
 wherein said dividing rib is disposed from about said blade cover to about said blade root;  
 wherein said dividing rib divides said blade cooling apparatus into a leading edge cooling section and a trailing edge cooling section;  
 wherein said leading edge cooling section and said trailing edge cooling section are disposed so as to pass said coolant to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     25. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said turbine blade comprises a pressure side double wall and a suction side double wall;
 wherein said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall are disposed from said blade cover to a blade root;  
 wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus is disposed to said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall so as to pass said coolant from said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     26. The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein said turbine blade further comprises an airfoil section and a blade root;
 wherein said airfoil section comprises an upper airfoil surface, a lower airfoil surface, and a plurality of dividers;  
 wherein said dividers are disposed from about said upper airfoil surface to about said lower airfoil surface so as to direct said coolant in said airfoil section;  
 wherein said dividers are disposed from about a turbine blade trailing edge to about a turbine blade leading edge;  
 wherein said lower airfoil surface is disposed on said blade root;  
 wherein every other said divider is disposed to connect to said blade cover bottom plate and is further disposed to be spaced apart from said blade root;  
 wherein said blade cover is disposed on said upper airfoil surface so as to pass said coolant from said airfoil section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     27. The apparatus of  claim 18  wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus is divided into a blade cover suction edge section and a blade cover pressure edge section;
 wherein said blade cover suction edge section has a first rib spacing and said blade cover pressure edge section has a second rib spacing,  
 wherein said first rib spacing and said second rib spacing are configured to control said coolant in said blade cover suction edge section and said blade cover pressure edge section, respectively.  
 
   
   
     28. The apparatus of  claim 18  further comprising a plurality of surface concavities;
 wherein at least a portion of at least one of said upper ribs, said lower ribs, said blade cover top plate, and said blade cover bottom plate that faces said coolant has said plurality of surface concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     29. A method of fabricating a blade cover cooling apparatus configured to be disposed in a blade cover for a turbine blade comprising:
 aligning a blade cover top plate, said blade cover top plate comprising a plurality of upper ribs disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade circumferential reference line, and a blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover bottom plate comprising a plurality of lower ribs disposed at a second angle with respect to said blade circumferential reference line to form a plurality of flow redirection areas between said blade cover top plate and said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     30. The method of  claim 29 , wherein said first angle is not equal to said second angle. 
   
   
     31. The method of  claim 29 , further comprising, prior to aligning, fabricating said blade cover top plate and said blade cover bottom plate by a process selected from a group consisting of investment casting, diffusion bonding, electron beam, and any combination thereof. 
   
   
     32. The method of  claim 29 , wherein aligning comprises providing an investment casting mold which comprises said flow redirection areas, said upper ribs, and said lower ribs; and
 pouring a blade cover material so as to form an investment casting;  
 wherein said investment casting comprises said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said upper ribs, and said lower ribs.  
 
   
   
     33. The method of  claim 29 , wherein aligning comprises joining said blade cover top plate and said blade cover bottom plate. 
   
   
     34. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 configuring at least a portion of at least one surface of said upper rib, said lower ribs, said blade cover top plate, and said blade cover bottom plate that is disposed to contact a coolant with a plurality of concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     35. The method of  claim 29 , further comprising:
 disposing a blade cooling section of said turbine blade from about said blade cover to about a blade root;  
 disposing said blade cooling section from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge; wherein said blade cooling section is disposed from about said blade cover to about a blade root; and  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over said blade cooling apparatus so as to pass a coolant form said blade cooling apparatus to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     36. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 forming a target area in said blade cooling section;  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over at least one edge of said target area.  
 
   
   
     37. The method of  claim 29  further comprises:
 disposing a dividing rib from about an upper airfoil surface of an airfoil section of said turbine blade to about a lower airfoil surface of said airfoil section of said turbine blade in a manner to divide said blade cooling apparatus into a leading edge cooling section and a trailing edge cooling section by said dividing rib;  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over at least a portion of said leading edge cooling section and at least a portion of said trailing edge cooling section so as to pass said coolant from said leading edge cooling section and said trailing edge cooling section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     38. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 disposing a pressure side double wall of said turbine blade and a suction side double wall of said turbine blade from said blade cover to a blade root;  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall so as to pass said coolant from said pressure side double wall and said suction side double wall to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     39. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 disposing a plurality of dividers in an airfoil section of said turbine blade from about a lower airfoil surface to about an upper airfoil surface so as to direct a coolant in said airfoil section, wherein said dividers are disposed from about a turbine blade trailing edge to about a turbine blade leading edge, wherein said lower airfoil surface is disposed on said blade root;  
 disposing one end of every other said divider to said blade cover bottom plate and further disposing a second end of said every other said divider so as to be spaced apart from said blade root; and  
 disposing said blade cover on said upper airfoil surface so as to pass said coolant ( 180 ) from said airfoil section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     40. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 dividing said blade cover cooling apparatus into a blade cover suction edge section and a blade cover pressure edge section;  
 wherein said blade cover suction edge section has a first rib spacing and said blade cover pressure edge section has a second rib spacing,  
 wherein said first rib spacings and said second rib spacing are configured to control said coolant in said blade cover suction edge section and said blade cover pressure edge section, respectively.  
 
   
   
     41. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 disposing a blade cover leading edge plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, a blade cover suction side plate, and a blade cover pressure side plate;  
 disposing a blade cover trailing edge plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 disposing said blade cover suction side plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate; and  
 disposing said blade cover pressure side plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate.  
 
   
   
     42. The method of  claim 29  further comprising:
 disposing said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, said blade cover trailing edge plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure sie plate in an investment casting.  
 
   
   
     43. A method of fabricating a blade cover cooling apparatus disposed in a blade cover for a turbine blade comprising:
 forming a plurality of blade cover top plate channels on one surface of a blade cover top plate;  
 forming a plurality of blade cover bottom plate channels on one surface of a blade cover bottom plate;  
 disposing said blade cover top plate over said blade cover bottom plate so as to form said blade cover;  
 wherein said blade cover bottom plate channels are disposed to intersect said blade cover top plate channels;  
 wherein said blade cover is configured to pass a coolant from said blade cover bottom plate to said blade cover top plat.  
 
   
   
     44. The method of  claim 43  further comprising:
 configuring at least one of said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate channels, said blade cover bottom plate, and said blade cover top plate channels that is disposed to contact said coolant with a plurality of concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     45. A method of fabricating a blade cover cooling apparatus disposed in a blade cover for a turbine blade comprising:
 disposing a blade cooling section of said turbine blade from about said blade cover to about a blade root;  
 disposing said blade cooling section from about a turbine blade leading edge to about a turbine blade trailing edge;  
 constructing a lattice structure comprising a blade cover top plate comprising a plurality of upper ribs, a blade cover bottom plate comprising a plurality of lower ribs, and a plurality of flow redirection areas, wherein said upper ribs are disposed at a first angle with respect to a blade circumferential reference line and said lower ribs are disposed at a second angle with respect to said blade circumferential reference line;  
 processing said lattice structure so as to form said blade cover cooling apparatus, wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus comprises said blade cover top plate and said blade cover bottom plate, wherein said blade cover cooling apparatus is disposed to form said flow redirection areas;  
 disposing a blade cover leading edge plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, a blade cover suction side plate, and a blade cover pressure side plate;  
 disposing a blade cover trailing edge plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover suction side plate, and said blade cover pressure side plate;  
 disposing said blade cover suction side plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover suction side plate;  
 disposing said blade cover pressure side plate to said blade cover top plate, said blade cover bottom plate, said blade cover leading edge plate, and said blade cover trailing edge plate; and  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over said blade cooling apparatus so as to pass a coolant from said blade cooling apparatus to said blade cover bottom plate;  
 wherein said blade cover is configured so as to pass said coolant from said blade cover bottom plate to said blade cover top plate.  
 
   
   
     46. The method of  claim 45 , wherein said first angle is not equal to said second angle. 
   
   
     47. The method of  claim 45 , wherein said processing said lattice structure so as to form said blade cover cooling apparatus is performed by processes selected from a group consisting of investment casting, diffusion bonding, electron beam, and any combination thereof. 
   
   
     48. The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 disposing at least a portion of at least one of said upper ribs, said lower ribs, said blade cover top plate, and said blade cover bottom plate that faces said coolant with a plurality of surface concavities thereon.  
 
   
   
     49. The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 forming a target area in said blade cooling section; and  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plateover at least one edge of said target area.  
 
   
   
     50. The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 disposing a dividing rib from about an upper airfoil surface of an airfoil section of said turbine blade to about a lower airfoil surface of said airfoil section of said turbine blade in a manner to divide said blade cooling apparatus into a leading edge cooling section and a trailing edge cooling section by said dividing rib; and  
 disposing said blade cover bottom plate over said leading edge cooling section and said trailing edge cooling section so as to pass said coolant from said leading edge cooling section and said trailing edge cooling section to said blade cover bottom plate.  
 
   
   
     51. The method of  claim 45  further comprising:
 dividing said blade cover cooling apparatus into a blade cover suction edge section and a blade cover pressure edge section;  
 wherein said blade cover suction edge section has a first rib spacing and said blade cover pressure edge section has a second rib spacing,  
 wherein said first rib spacing and said second rib spacing are configured to control said coolant in said blade cover suction edge section and said blade cover pressure edge section, respectively.